Medical Assisting Degrees

If you have always wanted to make a career for yourself in the medical and healthcare industry but not in the traditional role of doctor, physician or surgeon, then you may wish to explore medical assisting programs. Medical assistants play an important role in the healthcare industry. They perform clinical and administrative tasks at clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities. There are a variety of medical assistant roles available including ultrasound technicians, dental assistants, radiologists and medical facility managers. There are various medical assisting programs to choose from depending on the particular area you wish to make a career in. You can pick from a wide range of programs for nurses, x-ray technicians, medical laboratory technicians, pharmacy technicians and many more.

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Medical Assisting Programs and Degrees If you wish to work as a medical office assistant, the best option is to choose one of the many general medical assisting programs available to get the training you will require. Most medical offices prefer to employ someone with a certificate, diploma or Associate degree in the area. These programs may range between 1 – 2 years in duration, though may also take a shorter or longer period of time. Medical assisting programs require students to learn about both the medical and administrative side of a healthcare facility. You can choose an online medical assisting program or one offered in a traditional, campus-based setting depending on your personal requirements.

Areas of Study in Medical Assisting Programs Students are required to take courses related to medical terminology, human anatomy and physiology. At the same time courses on accounting, insurance form processing and transcription are also offered. Many medical assisting programs also include courses related to medical procedures, lab techniques, drug administration and first aid. Medical assisting programs may also require students to take up an internship to gain some measure of professional experience as well. When choosing a medical assisting program it is important to make sure it is accredited.

Medical Assistant Certifications Many who plan on making a career as medical assistants choose to take a voluntary certification examination to improve their career prospects. You can choose to be certified by the American Association of Medical Assistants or the Association of Medical Technologists. Such certifications demonstrate to employers that the individual has had formal training in medical assisting.

Careers for Medical Assistants Medical assistants can be employed at physicians’ offices, hospitals, chiropractic clinics and at other healthcare facilities. In a smaller healthcare facility, medical assistants may handle a variety of different tasks, whereas at a larger facility medical assistants may find a more specialized role. Administrative medical assistants and clinical medical assistants will have different job responsibilities. Those assisting on the administrative side may handle accounting, bookkeeping, appointments scheduling, insurance forms filling and so on.

Clinical medical assistants may carry out tasks such as noting down the medical history of a patient, patient examination preparation, as well as explaining medication and treatments to patients if supervised by a doctor. Depending on the area of specialization you opt for in the wide range of medical assisting programs, you can possibly find many career options once you start applying for various jobs.

Accredited Medical Assistant Programs can potentially equip you with the knowledge and expertise that are required in assisting a doctor or physician effectively. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that medical assistants had median salary of $29,370 per year in May 2012. The modern healthcare field has become increasingly competitive owing to the advances in technology and medicine. You can opt to earn a diploma, certificate or an Associate degree in Medical Assistance. Certified Medical Assistants are generally preferred by the employers. The Association of Medical Technologists and American Association of Medical Assistants provide certifications in this field. A well qualified Medical Assistant can carry out the tasks like scheduling appointments and managing hospital admissions. Medical Assistant Programs will be helpful in increasing your chances of being hired onto jobs in this field and work in areas like hospitals and clinics.

IMPORTANT:The salary figures mentioned above are taken from Click Here

A:Within medical assistant programs you can choose to take up a clinical degree or an administrative degree. You could also choose from specializations like Emergency Management Program, Pharmacy Technician Program, Lab Assistant Program and Respiratory Healthcare Program.

Q:What is the duration for medical assistant program?

A:The duration it will take to complete a medical assisting program depends on the type of program you are studying. A certification or diploma course normally takes 6 months to a year while an associate's degree can take up to 2 years. A bachelor's degree can take anywhere between 3 to 4 years while a master's degree in medical assisting will take you 1 or 2 years to complete.

Q:What is the duration of medical assisting program at Florida Career College?

A:Florida career college is a accredited college that offers degree programs in a wide number of areas. The medical assistant program offered by this college is designed to teach students the basic skills of medical assistants. They are aught how to perform certain clinical and administrative tasks such as reporting, handling accounts, scheduling etc. the duration of this program is 12months and comprises of around 48 credit hours.

Q:What courses are studied in a bachelor Medical Assisting Degrees?

A:A few major courses found in the Medical Assisting Degrees are: medical business operations, medical terminology, medical office procedures, clinical assisting, pathophyisology, pharmacology, anatomy and physiology, phlebotomy, and many more. These courses provide student with theoretical knowledge and practical training that will help them become successful medical assistants in the professional world.

A:The Online Medical Assisting degrees are specifically designed for working adults and stay at home parents who cannot travel and attend campus based classes. These degrees allow students to complete their education from any location in the world. Also, with online medical assisting degrees, students can schedule their own classes and complete the degree at their own pace.

Q:Reading about the medical assistant course duration mentioned a course in medical office insurance. What is included in this course?

A:Medical office insurance would be mentioned when searching for medical assistant course duration. This course is worth 2 credit hours and deals with medical insurance policies, health insurance and managed care. Students also learn about managed care companies and operating procedures. With the health care industry experiencing positive growth, there is huge potential for students in this industry. Prospective students interested in this course are advised to search our website for more information.

Q:As I read an article on what is a medical assistant, there was mention of the course on Business Communication. What are the contents of this course?

A:It is common to get to read about the course on Business Communication while going through article on what is a Medical Assistant. This course usually is worth 2 credits in total. It is designed to provide students with ample understanding of the written communication as well as the verbal concepts needed in a business environment, with ample hands on experience.

Q:Are there colleges that offer internships as part of their medical assistant training course?

A:Medical assistant training courses are focused to give the necessary guidance that prepares applicants for entry level jobs. Therefore there are many courses where internship is a vital part of the course that is important to complete in order to get the certificate. Internships give hands on experience in the practical field and are deemed important.

A:The course content for online programs has been designed to reflect as much as possible the same content as classroom-based programs. The programs have been adapted so that as much of the course is, and its materials are, available to you via an internet connection and a computer. Subjects are sometime taught by live-feeds, or by material that has been recorded in advance, in addition to conference calls.

Q:What do medical assistants do in doctors' offices?

A:Medical assistants are not limited to working in doctors' offices, but if they do, they probably undertake the much of the administration tasks, such as the billing, looking after medical records and so on. Sometimes they will be asked to undertake come clinical work, such as testing samples or processing samples for testing. Medical assistants may also be in charge of the equipment supplies.

A:There are numerous types of medical assistant programs available online. Some of the shortest courses in this field have a duration of 6-12 months. This program is geared towards preparing students for medical assistant careers. Most of the coursework details practical based programs that polish skills and offer hands on experience.

Q:I want to become a physician's assistant but I can't enroll in a traditional degree program by leaving my current day job to as it pays the bills. Are there any accredited online medical assistant programs?

A:Yes, with the advancements in telecommunications technology and increases in internet speeds, it has now become quite convenient to opt for accredited online medical assistant programs at both the bachelor's as well as the master's levels. They usually have 40-45 credit hours that have to be completed in a quarter and are 100% online with no travel required.

Q:What is Medical Assisting Degrees?

A:Medical assisting degrees are designed to teach students about clinical processes, pharmacology, and fundamentals of healthcare. Students who wish to work as a medical assisting can opt for this degree which will equip them with skills and knowledge. Medical assisting degrees are also offered online by many accredited medical schools.

Q:What courses do online medical assistant degrees teach?

A:The specific curriculum of an online medical assistant degree usually varies from school to school and from program to program. Generally, students get to take courses in medical procedures, lab techniques, drug administration and first aid. Before choosing an online programs, it is important to ensure that it is duly accredited.